Spring mounting for vehicles



Feb. 21, 1928.

D. RAWSTRON SPRING MOUNTING FOR VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gva/vanto@Feb. 21, 1928. 1,659,746

D. RAws'rRoN SPRING MOUNTING FOR VEHICLES Filed Nov. l 1,926 2Sheets-Sheet a5 i V1 yPatented Feb. 21, 1,928.

UNITED PATENT l.orri,c3-:13.d.

DONALD RAWSTRON "0F BeACKrOrNTeIa were @enorme Assmann@ ONE- HALF TO@OIT Das New, :Os semen ,ntnoisl VSPRING iuoUiv'r-naof vlnon lvnrrronns.

Application filed November 3119276. VSeriaLNo. 145,518.

Other objects .and advantages of the n- 15 vention will be apparent;during-the .course of the .following description.

-In the laccompanying i part of -this specification ,andv H1 WhCh likenumerals .are employed toV designate like parts `throughout the same,

Figure l is a side elevton of .a spring mounting .embodying -lnyinvention, vslfnnring the anlen arelative normal positiolfl,Y

@Figure 2 is 4a similar `vier-v show-ing the axle elevated With respectto the chassis,

Figure -3 isa horizontalvseetiontaken on line 33vof Figure 2, v

Figure a is an .enlarged sideA elevation .of the, toggle-.joint includedAinthe device,parts omitted, v .e y

:Figure 5 is an endeleyationof the device, Figure 6 is` a longitudinalsectionLt-.hrough tivo ofthe links of the toggle-joinushoyyfi'ng thelubricating means,

Figure 7 a side elevation of a modiiied .torni of the springmountingembodying the invention, and, Figure 8 is atransverse section taken .Online 8-8 of-Figure 1.

1n the drawings, wherein tor the purpose or' illustration are shown'preferred'embodiments ,of my invention, the numeral 10 designates achassis beam of an automobileor the like, the forward end of which ispreferablyn inv the forni of afboiv, curved down- Wardly,'as shown.vArrangedybeneath Ithe .chassis beam `is the aXle 11 carrying Wheels 12.i -f The spring mounting embodies a togglejoint structure,h comprising,a pair of upwardly yconverging links .,-13 and 14 and a pair ofA"downwardly converging links 15 and 16. The 'links 13 and 14 arepivotally connected at their upper ends by means' of afbolt Y17 alsoconnected .with a bracket 18k, rigidlyattached to the beam -1Oanddeportions 27.

,pend-ing therefrom, as shown. The links and 16 are pivotallyconnectedyat theirV lower ends by a bolt` 19, passing through ears 20, formedupon a plate 21', 1Figure 5. This plate .is vmounted upon the axle l1and Vclamped thereto ,byJU-,bolts 22 or the like.

A spring carrying frame is providedem bedying a pair of rods 23theendsoiwhich ,pass .through cross fheads 21%,4 apertured to receive them, andthese cross heads lare adapted to be longitudinally adjustedupon therods 23. rl7hese .ends .of lthe rods 23 receive nuts 25, as shown. ATheintermediate portions of ,the rods v23 are bent lintov generally VV-shaped portions, including inwardly converging sections 26 and`parallel The parallel port-ions ,are surrounded by alink 28, as shown;'The links -13 and 14@ ,off the toggle-joint have lateral olisetintermediate portions, forming sockets l29,' for receiving the diagonalportions26 of ythe rods y23, and the vlower links 16. have similaroffset portionsy providing similar pockets. The link 13 is positionedupon the opposite` side ,of the rod 23 With respect to thelink'li andthe linkl isplaced upon theopposite sidey of the-lower rod 23 withrespect to thelink 16,.Whilethelinks in the 'upper set are .arrangedupon the opposite :sides of the rods 23 v'With respect to the` linkslinthe lower set. 7

The cross heads 24 are provided with l studs or trunnions 3,0, rigidlyattached thereto, and receiving the outer ends Ofcompressible coilspr-ing'si-il. The inner ends of t .these compressible coil springsreceive couplinge or plungers 32,v provided with flanges Y or shoulders33. These couplings are pivot- Vally connect-ed withthe adjacent ends ofthe ,links 13, `15; 14,16; by means of bolts y34,01 the like'. i

It might be stated at thisA point, that either oi' all of the bolts 17,19 and 34 may be providedivith a ,lubricant supplyA port 35,

extending radially through t-he side .thereof and leading to the outerend of the bolt. and receiving a lubricant, such as grease, from agrease Cup' 36. The links 13, 14,15 and 16 4may be provided withlongitudinal ports '37 Figure 6, for receiving the" lubricant fromvabout the4 bolts, as is obvious.-

The link 28y hascompressible coil springs 38' attached to the ends;thereof, which are 'adapted toen'gage With the ends ofthe links of thetoggle-joint, at ,its ytop and bottom,

when the same is collapsed horizontally beyond a certain limit.

The numeral 39 designates a rearl radius rod Vwhich is pivoted to thechassis beam 10 at 40, and'this radius rod extends forwardly and ispreferably formed integral with the plate 21, and is accordingly clampedto the axle 17. The bolt 19 has pivotal connection with a forward radiusrod 41, extending forwardly for pivotal connection at 42 with a link 43,which is pivoted to the forward end of the beam 10, as shown at 44.

The operation of this form of the apparatus will be as follows:

The springs working in conjunction with the toggle joint, in myarrangement of elements, produce a substantially` constant supportingforce for the chassis beam 10. When the wheel runs upon an elevation inthe roadway, thebeam 10 remains at substantially the same elevationwhile the axle 17 is elevated with relation thereto, Figure 2. 'Ihetog,:gle-jointv is horizontally elongated, and the springsl compressed.In the event that the upward movement of the axle 17 should beexcessive, the movement of the toggle-joint is limited by means of thesprings 31 becoming completely closed. Prior to this action, themovement of the toggle-joint is opposed by its'upper and -lower endsengaging the springs 38. When the axle moves downwardly with relation tothe beam 10, the toggle-joint hasl its horizontal dimension decreasedand the springs 31, of course, expand. It is thus seen that the devicewill convert the constantly varying force of the ordinary leafspring,employed upon an automobile into a substantially constant supportingforce for the chassis, regardless of the relative vertical movements ofthe axle, within limits.

In Figure 7, I have shown a modified form of the invention. In this formot' the invention, couplings 45 are pivotally connected, with the outerends of the links 13, 14, 15 and 16, and the inner ends of thesecouplings have connections with a retractile coil spring 46. A link orloop 47 surrounds the inner portions 27 of the rods v23 and carrycompressible coil springs 48, arranged to engage the top and bottom ofthe toggle joint. The link 47 carries a guide sleeve 49 through whichthe spring 46 extends, as shown. Attached to the cross heads 24 arecompressible coil springs 50, arranged in the path of travel of theouter ends of the coup- .lings 45. All other parts of the device remainidentical to those described in the first form of the invention.

The operation of the second form of the invention is, of course,siinilarto that of the first form. When the axle moves upwardly,

-with relation to the chassis, the toggle-joint is extendedhorizontally, and the spring 46 VI claim is is stretched. When thetoggle-joint approaches the end of its outward travel, the couplings 45engage the springs 50, and the springs 48 engage the top andbottom ofthe toggle-joint, and serve as an additional yielding force to opposethe further outward movement of the toggle-joint. Excessive outwardmovement of the toggle-joint will completely close the turns of thesprings 50,A which will then serve as afpositive abutment for thetoggle-joint, to limit furtherv outward movement. j

It is to be understood that the forms of my invention, herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts mayberesorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the lsubjoined claims. l

Having thus described my invention, what 1. In a vehicle spring mouting,

a togglejoint adapted to'have its top connected with Y the chassis ofthe vehicle and its bottom connected with the axle, a pair of generallytol horizontal rods arranged near the togglejoint, the links of thetoggle-jointbeing arranged upon opposite sides of the rods, cross headscarried by the outer ends of the rods, springssecured to the crossheads, and couplings pivoted to the sides ofthe toggle-joint andattachedto the springs, the springs 'serving to support the rods from thetogglejoint.

2. In a vehicle spring mounting, a togglejoint adapted to have itstopconnected with the chassis of the vehicle and its bottom connected withthe axle, a pair ofgenerally horizontal rods arranged near thetogglejoint and extending outwardly beyond' the opposite sides thereof,c springs connected with the ends ofthe rods and with the sides of thetoggle-joint, said springs serving to support the rods from thetoggle-joint, and springs connected with the intermediate portions oftherods and adapted toengage the tops and bottoms of the toggle-joint.

3. In a vehicle spring mounting, a togglejoint adapted to have itsk toppivotally connected with the chassis' of the vehicle and its bottomconnected with the axle, a pair of generally horizontal rods arrangednear the toggle-joint land extending outwardly beyond the opposite sidesthereof, springs connected with the outer portions of the rods vjointadapted to have its top pivotally connected with the chassis of thevehicle audits bottom pivotally Connected with the axle,

a pair of generally horizontal rods arranged near the toggle-joint, thelinks of the toggie-joint being arranged on opposite sides of the rods,and spring means to oppose the outward horizontal spreading movement of'the toggle-joint, said spring means being connected with the rods forsupporting the same. v y

5. In a vehicle spring mounting, a togglejoint adapted to have its upperend pvotally connected with the chassis of the vehiole and its lower endpivotally connected with the axle, a pair of generally horizontal rodsarranged near the toggle-joint, transverse elements connecting the endsof the rods, springs secured to the transverse elements and arrangednear the side ends of the toggle-joint for co-action therewith, a memberconnecting the intermediate portions of said rods and arranged withinthe toggle-joint, and springs secured to the member and disposed in thepath of travel of the upper andy lower'ends of said toggle-joint.

In testimony whereof1 I atlix my signature.

- DONALD RAWSTRON.

